What Damages Can You Recover in a Texas Solar Fraud Case?
Most Texas homeowners aren’t thinking about “how much is my case worth” on the day they sign a solar contract. That question tends to show up months, sometimes years, later — after the electric bill hasn’t gone anywhere, the loan payment has started anyway, the promised savings never showed up, and the company that sold them the system has stopped picking up the phone.
By that point, most people aren’t chasing a windfall. They just want their finances back to where they were before the solar deal made things worse.
That’s really the throughline in most solar fraud cases: the goal isn’t to profit from a lawsuit, it’s to undo the damage. This article looks at one specific piece of that — what damages may be available in a Texas solar fraud case. It isn’t a complete rundown of every possible legal claim, and it isn’t a prediction of how any particular case will turn out. The goal is narrower: to help homeowners understand the categories of financial harm that come up, so they know what to look for and what information matters if they decide to talk to a lawyer.
What Does “Getting Back to Zero” Mean?
When homeowners describe what they actually want after a solar project goes wrong, it’s rarely “a big settlement.” It’s usually something closer to: “I just want this fixed.”
“Getting back to zero” means trying to put the homeowner as close as possible to where they’d be if the misleading transaction had never happened. Depending on the facts, that might mean:
- Eliminating an improper financial obligation
- Addressing an ongoing loan payment
- Recovering money spent because the promised savings never materialized
- Repairing property damage
- Resolving title or refinancing problems
- Correcting harm caused by misleading sales claims
What’s actually available depends on the specific facts, contracts, financing documents, and law involved — no two cases look quite the same.
The First Question Isn’t “How Much Is My Case Worth?”
Most homeowners want a number. Understandably. But that’s usually not where the analysis starts.
Instead, attorneys tend to start with more practical questions: What was promised? What was actually delivered? What documents back up those promises? And what financial harm actually resulted? The answers shape both the potential legal claims and what damages might realistically be recoverable.
The Most Common Financial Losses in Solar Fraud Cases
Solar disputes rarely involve just one type of loss. More often, homeowners are dealing with several smaller losses that add up month after month.
Solar Loan Payments
For a lot of families, the solar loan itself is the biggest financial obligation in the picture. The homeowner financed the system because they believed the promised savings would offset the payment. When those savings never show up, the loan turns into something very different from what they signed up for — years of payments on a system that never performed as advertised.
Continuing Electric Bills
One of the most common complaints in these cases is what amounts to a double payment: instead of the solar loan replacing the electric bill, it becomes a second bill on top of it. Some homeowners save a little on electricity. Others barely save anything. The real issue usually isn’t that an electric bill still exists — it’s whether the homeowner was told, and reasonably believed, that it would largely go away.
Roof Repairs and Property Damage
Some disputes involve actual physical damage to the home — roof leaks, improper mounting, damaged shingles, electrical issues, water intrusion, or damage from the installation itself. Repair costs from any of these can become part of the overall damages picture.
Missing Equipment
Not every dispute is about broken panels. Some homeowners were promised equipment that simply never showed up — battery storage, monitoring systems, additional panels, electrical upgrades, backup power. When missing equipment affects how the system performs or what it’s worth, that becomes relevant to the damages analysis.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Some homeowners end up spending their own money to fix problems that shouldn’t have existed in the first place — independent inspections, electrical repairs, roof evaluations, temporary fixes, replacement equipment, professional consultations. Hang onto the receipts and invoices; they help document these costs.
Can Credit Problems Become Part of the Case?
Financial harm isn’t always limited to the monthly payment itself. When homeowners fall behind on an obligation they didn’t expect to have, other problems tend to follow — late payment reporting, collection activity, higher interest costs, refinancing delays, trouble getting credit down the road.
Not every credit issue automatically turns into recoverable damages, but it’s worth keeping documentation of how the solar transaction affected your overall financial situation.
What About Home Equity?
Some homeowners don’t find out how much a solar loan really cost them until they try to sell or refinance. The title company asks for payoff information. The buyer doesn’t want to take on the solar obligation. The refinance stalls while the lender reviews the financing documents. Suddenly a chunk of the expected sale proceeds is earmarked for the solar loan instead.
Damages in these situations tend to be more complicated than just adding up monthly payments — they often involve broader financial consequences tied to the property itself.
Can Attorney’s Fees Be Recovered?
This comes up a lot. The answer depends on the specific legal claims involved. Certain consumer protection laws — the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, in the right circumstances — can allow for attorney’s fees. That doesn’t mean every solar dispute includes recoverable fees; it means the legal basis for the claim matters, and an attorney can only evaluate that after looking at the facts and the documents.
Every Solar Fraud Case Looks Different
Two homeowners can buy nearly identical solar systems and still end up with completely different legal issues. One was promised the electric bill would disappear entirely. Another was promised batteries that were never installed. A third has a system that was installed but never turned on. A fourth doesn’t discover the problem until years later, while trying to sell the house.
The legal analysis shifts based on what the salesperson actually said, what the written documents contain, how the system performed, how the financing was structured, which companies were involved, and what damages actually resulted. That’s why it’s hard to put a number on any case without first understanding the whole story.
Documents That Help Prove Damages
Solar fraud cases run on paper. A homeowner’s memory matters, but the paper trail usually matters more. Documents worth holding onto include:
- Solar contracts
- Financing agreements
- Loan statements
- Electric bills, before and after installation
- Savings projections
- Production estimates
- Inspection reports
- Repair invoices
- Roof estimates
- Collection letters
- Credit reporting notices
- Payoff demands
- UCC filings, if any
- Emails and text messages
- Sales presentations
- Warranty documents
- Installation photos
- Service requests
- Utility approval records
The goal is building a complete picture: what was promised, what actually happened, and how it hit the homeowner financially.
When to Talk to a Lawyer
A lot of homeowners wait, hoping the company will eventually make things right. Sometimes it does. Often it doesn’t.
If the savings never showed up, the system keeps causing problems, or the solar transaction is starting to affect your credit, your property, or your finances more broadly, it’s probably worth having the documents reviewed. A lawyer can help sort out what was actually represented, what damages may exist, who might be responsible, and whether pursuing legal action makes sense.
Talk to McMillan & Black About Your Solar Fraud Claim
McMillan & Black, PLLC represents Texas homeowners evaluating solar fraud claims, solar loan disputes, misleading sales practices, and related consumer protection issues.
We look at what was promised, what was actually delivered, what financial harm resulted, and what legal options might be available. If you believe you were misled into a solar financing agreement, or you’re still dealing with losses because a system never performed as promised, reach out to McMillan & Black to talk through your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover money if my solar panels never saved what I was promised?
Possibly — it depends on the specific facts of your case, including what you were told, what you signed, and what it actually cost you.
Can continuing electric bills be part of my damages?
They can be, if you were promised the bill would go away or drop significantly and that turned out not to be true.
What if the solar company is no longer in business?
That doesn’t automatically end the matter. Depending on how the deal was structured, other parties involved in the transaction may still be on the hook.
Should I stop paying my solar loan?
Be careful — stopping payments can trigger its own credit, collection, and property consequences. Talk to an attorney and understand your financing agreement before making that call.
What documents should I keep?
Contracts, financing documents, utility bills, loan statements, emails, texts, production reports, repair records — basically anything that shows what you were promised and what actually happened.
Sources
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/solar-power-your-home
https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2024/09/solar-energy-rising-popularity-so-are-scams
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/research-reports/issue-spotlight-solar-financing/
Litigation
State and federal trial practice — business torts, property and construction disputes, DTPA claims, anti-SLAPP defense, injunctions, and appeals.
Tell us what happened.
We offer a free, same-day 7–10 minute consultation to assess your legal issue and tell you honestly whether we can help. Call, email, or send us a short description of the matter and a number to reach you.